Earthdawn 4e - Legends of Barsaive 4 - Separation Anxiety PDF [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

CREDITS Seperation Anxiety Earthdawn 4th Edition Live Developer Josh Harrison Project Manager Andi Watson

Adventure Concept and Writing Karol Rybaltowski

Legends of Barsaive Concept Michael S. Allegro II, Kyle Pritchard, Karol Rybaltowski

Editing Michael S. Allegro II, Josh Harrison, Kyle Pritchard, Tiffany Ragland Layout Ian Liddle

Art Direction Jeff Laubenstein Cover Art Janet Aulisio

Interior Art Janet Aulisio, Newton Ewell, Jeff Laubenstein, Jeremy McHugh

Playtesters Russell Ahrens, Pat Bullen, Cheryl Pritchard, Dan Pritchard, Bryan Townsend Internet: www.fasagames.com Contact: [email protected] Version: First Printing, July 2018

Earthdawn is a registered trademark of FASA Corporation. Barsaive, FASA and the FASA Logo are trademarks of FASA Corporation. Copyright © 1993-2018 FASA Corporation. Earthdawn and all associated trademarks and copyrights are used under license from FASA Corporation. Published by FASA Games, Inc. All rights reserved.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS What is Legends of Barsaive?.............. 4 Using this Adventure............................. 4 The Story So Far...................................... 5 Adventure Overview.............................. 6 The Best Laid Plans ............................... 7 Overview...................................................7 Setting The Stage...................................7 Themes and Images.............................8 Behind The Scenes...............................8 Troubleshooting.................................10 Always Be Closing ................................10 Overview................................................10 Setting The Stage................................10 Themes and Images..........................11 Behind the Scenes..............................11 Troubleshooting.................................15 A Thorny Issue ......................................15 Overview................................................15 Setting The Stage................................15 Themes and Images..........................16 Behind The Scenes............................16 Troubleshooting.................................18 If You Want It Done Right ..................19 Overview................................................19 Setting The Stage................................19 Themes and Images..........................19 Behind The Scenes............................19 Troubleshooting.................................21 A Momentary Lapse In Judgment ...22 Overview................................................22 Setting The Stage................................22 Themes and Images..........................22 Behind The Scenes............................23 Troubleshooting.................................25 A Wrench In The Works .....................25 Overview................................................25 Setting The Stage................................25 Themes and Images..........................26 Behind The Scenes............................26

Troubleshooting.................................28 Loose Ends..............................................28 Cast of Characters.................................29 Vardeghul..............................................29 Cleotha Splayfoot...............................29 Omag Bastabus...................................30 Girisha Vosior......................................30 Gerard, Baresh, and Flinn...............31 Jahn..........................................................31 Heiren.....................................................31 Darthann................................................31 Drunken Louts.....................................31 Fafedriel.................................................32 Timon......................................................32 Boselyn Oakram.................................33 Joneth’s Foxes......................................33

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WHAT IS LEGENDS OF BARSAIVE?

Legends of Barsaive is meant to be a “living” campaign setting, where a particular character builds their legend across many tables. A character in Legends of Barsaive begins at First Circle, created using the standard rules listed in the Earthdawn Player’s Guide or the alternate rules presented in the Legends of Barsaive: Character Creation packet. Alternately, players may use any of the pre-generated characters in the Player’s Guide and transfer over the rewards they earned to a character created later. As Legends of Barsaive progresses, the characters adventure in and around the frontier town of Haven and become embroiled in the politics of the ruined city. Further background details about this setting can be found in the Legends of Barsaive: Haven Guidebook.

USING THIS ADVENTURE

This adventure supports three to eight player characters of First through Third Circle. The Story So Far provides background information and gives the gamemaster context for the scenes that play out during this adventure. The Adventure Overview provides a summary of the events occurring during the adventure. After these summaries are the individual scenes through which the player characters progress. This adventure was designed to take about four hours to complete (the standard convention timeslot), so each scene has a guideline for how long it should take to resolve. Each scene begins with Setting the Stage, a piece meant to be read aloud to the players. Themes and Images covers the overall mood and flow of the scene, while Behind the Scenes describes different actions and options that might take place during the scene. Should the players get off track, each scene includes a Troubleshooting section to give gamemasters suggestions to help the story along. Two more sections close out the adventure. Loose Ends describes the result of characters’ actions, reactions of the various gamemaster characters, and rewards the characters may gain. This section contains the necessary details to fill out the Chapter Summary sheets (mentioned below). Cast of Characters provides game information on relevant gamemaster characters found in the adventure. Many scenes involve Interaction tests and gamemaster character Attitudes as possible avenues for resolution. It might be helpful to review these rules before running the adventure, found on pages 142 to 151 of the Gamemaster’s Guide. At the end of this document are Chapter Summary handouts. Players should use these to record their actions during the adventure, track influence gained with various gamemaster character factions, and record rewards. Rewards may be used to improve a player’s character for use in future Legends of Barsaive adventures.

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Actions taken during this adventure have an impact on future events, so we encourage you to send your Chapter Summaries to [email protected].

THE STORY SO FAR

In the days leading up to the Scourge, Theran minds developed one of their greatest marvels: The Astral Sextant. When properly attuned, these items could determine the location and distance of Horrors and Horror constructs and possibly detect Horror-marked Namegivers. This power would have helped turn the tide against the Horrors in the approaching conflict. The Therans planned to install these around the empire as an added defense should the Rites of Protection and Passage fail. The Horrors recognized this threat to their influence and the Sextants were prone to attack in the years before the Scourge. Within a generation, the knowledge behind the Astral Sextant was feared lost, and the relics were relegated to the status of fanciful legend. Adventurers eventually returned to Parlainth and began uncovering Theran artifacts, using Haven’s resources to identify the next great find. The discovery of a mysterious sextant in the ruins by Joneth’s Foxes, a group of young adventurers, drew the attention of Haven’s power players. Guessing the sextant’s true purpose, Torgak secured the item as quickly as possible, hoping to turn the object into another successful investment. The elderly t’skrang loremaster Vardeghul confirmed the object indeed was an Astral Sextant, but more work was needed to discover the object’s Name. Despite efforts to keep it secret, knowledge of the sextant found its way to the various organizations in Haven. After weeks of backroom deals and political maneuvering, Vardeghul was assigned to learn how to activate the sextant. To ensure proper oversight, a neutral location was chosen to store and guard the item: Trident Keep, headquarters of the Strongest Arm. Because of the number of players involved, the Astral Sextant’s location became an open secret among those in the know, and Theran and Throalic agents began investigating. The Blood Warders decided to steal the sextant. Such a powerful item would be invaluable to Queen Alachia and the Blood Wood. Its disappearance would also fan the tension between Theran and Throalic factions in Haven and prevent either from gaining influence in the city. Careful of showing their hand in Haven, the Blood Warders contacted Joneth’s Foxes through intermediaries. The young adventurers had taken to their fifteen minutes of fame with gusto, burning through the money they had received for their discovery. Fafedriel contacted the group, offering to erase their debts (and then some) if they acquired the sextant for him. The Foxes jumped at the opportunity but with no Thief adept among their ranks were ill equipped for such a task. Desperate,

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they contracted the job to Timon, a recent arrival to Haven with no roots and little money. Timon and the Foxes hatched a scheme to steal the object out from under Trident Keep’s guards. Meanwhile, Vardeghul’s research was coming along, but she needed agents to venture into the ruins to gather information. She contacted the different adventuring companies to supply adepts for the expedition, and the companies chose less renowned members for the job—the player characters—hoping not to attract too much attention. Unfortunately, the morning the characters are dispatched to Vardeghul’s Emporium for the job, she and her guards discovered the sextant has been stolen.

ADVENTURE OVERVIEW

The adventure begins in The Best Laid Plans. The characters are brought to Vardeghul’s Lore Exchange and are introduced to Cleotha and Omag, instigators for Throal and Thera respectively. Their allegiance is no secret and Vardeghul makes a point of mentioning it to the characters while explaining that instead of venturing into the ruins, they will be tracking down the missing Astral Sextant. After a scathing remark, Omag storms out and the characters are given a chance to discuss payment and learn some details from Cleotha. The group approaches the crime scene with Always Be Closing. They encounter Omag again and get his view of the situation. They also make contact with Girisha of the Gardeners as she is entering the building. The characters are free to set their own pace, investigating the crime scene, a poisoned guard, and an orphan boy who was made a patsy. As the investigation winds down, the party learns a dwarf Thief is responsible for the crime and gets a lead this person of interest is at Loak’s Legacy. Girisha discusses the poisoning and offers the group a reward and antidotes if the party can find fresh samples of the deadly fluid. In A Thorny Issue the characters arrive at Loak’s Legacy. Before they can finish their investigation on the first floor, an adolescent blood elf is attacked by a group of drunks and the characters must decide if this problem is theirs. After a brief tussle, Fafedriel, the Blood Wood’s unofficial ambassador, arrives on the scene to settle matters. Depending on the group’s actions they may find the senior elf helpful, but at the very least will learn the dwarf’s location and get a chance to find their man.

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The characters open the door to find a new crime scene in If You Want It Done Right. Someone caught up with the dwarf before the characters. The group can learn the Thief, Timon, was a member of the Eye of Throal and in some sort of business arrangement with a group known as Joneth’s Foxes. They uncover vials of poison and find the Astral Sextant’s container, but little else of value. They have no choice but to follow the trail to Timon’s business partners. Asking around brings the characters to the Foxes’ palatial estate A Momentary Lapse in Judgement. They find the house freshly abandoned with documents burning in the fireplace. By acting fast, the characters can recover the papers and learn “Mister F” is paying the now destitute Foxes to re-acquire the Astral Sextant and their rendezvous is scheduled for later that night. Before the characters can chase the new lead, a group of Loster’s Lawbringers arrive. The party encounters Boselyn Oakram, who requests the party bring Joneth in alive. The characters get out of Haven and head toward the rendezvous. In A Wrench in the Works the characters encounter the Foxes on the road and get to choose their moment to attack. Unfortunately, the Astral Sextant is broken and “Mister F” does not appear this evening. The group recovers the artifact, but the mastermind of the heist remains free for now.

THE BEST LAID PLANS (15 Minutes)

Overview

The characters arrive at Vardeghul’s Lore Exchange for an early morning meeting on their next job, hunting down information on a new artifact. When they arrive, they find the ill-tempered t’skrang with Cleotha Splayfoot, an influential dwarf merchant with connections to Throal. Vardeghul explains their job has changed. The artifact was stolen, and the characters must recover it. Cleotha wants to help recover the Sextant to gain influence for Throal, but Vardeghul doesn’t want outside agents meddling in Haven’s politics. Vardeghul instructs the characters to begin their investigation at Trident Keep, while Cleotha makes the characters a side offer to bring her any evidence they find.

Setting The Stage

Everyone is talking about it. A major artifact was discovered in the ruins. Some fresh-faced kids made the score of a lifetime. Rumors abound about what was actually found, but all Haven’s power players want to have their names attached to the find. Vardeghul and the adventuring companies managed to work out a deal. The t’skrang would lead the research effort while the companies ran security and muscle for whatever she needed. That’s where you come into the picture. The miserly loremaster needed something found, but the exact details of the job were hazy. You step out of the muggy morning sun into Vardeghul’s Lore Exchange, a large building that manages to feel claustrophobic with towering shelves of scrolls and maps around you. A burly troll leads you through the emporium to Vardeghul’s office. As you

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turn the corner into the large but cluttered office you see two others engaged in a heated discussion with your employer. A motherly looking dwarf speaks first, “Torgak has to understand, the Eye of Throal are perfectly suited to find the missing sextant!” She has both of her palms on Vardeghul’s desk, her body language urgent. Vardeghul sits behind the desk. Leaning back in a chair she waves a hand dismissively. “Yes, yes, Cleotha, Torgak understands. With Throalic investigators will come Throalic soldiers. That will not happen.” The third person in the room is human. He stands near the door away from the other two, “Cleotha’s addled mind and unfortunate friends aside, Torgak’s administration is in beyond their ken here. My service to Haven is of no dispute. Allow me to reach out to my connections and...” His voice trails off as he looks up from the stack of cluttered scrolls to notice your group has begun to file into the office. Vardeghul sits up in her chair. “Omag, I always knew you were a windbag, but if you think I’d trust you and your ‘connections’ you must be an idiot as well. I don’t want your Theran sympathizers within a mile of this investigation. We need truths and open palms. Now, as you can see, the actual investigators are here. Both of your… kind offers… for aid are quite unnecessary.” Vardeghul turns to you and looks you over, clearly sizing you up. “Don’t worry about these two, they were just leaving.” With a huff the human, Omag, pushes past your group and out towards the front of the Exchange. Cleotha backs away from the desk, making room in the office for your group. Vardeghul continues in her raspy voice, “Now, tell me what the companies have told you and I’ll fill in the rest.” After the Characters Reveal what they know: Vardeghul sighs and leans her chair onto its back legs while balancing on her tail, “So only two steps behind, not the worst investigators I’ve ever hired.” She grimaces before continuing, “Well, I am hiring. And the job is still to track something down, but what is lost now is the artifact itself, the Astral Sextant. It was snaked out from under the Strongest Arm’s watchful eye.” She emphasizes the last two words sarcastically, glancing at Cleotha before handing over a letter, “Take this to the guards at Trident Keep. This will show you are there at my request. You’re to take the lead on the investigation, find the sextant and get it back to me.” Vardeghul waves her hand dismissively, as if that were information enough, and Cleotha seizes her opportunity to speak from the back of the room. “In an effort to ensure I’m doing business with only the right sort, I would be very interested in seeing what evidence you manage to collect about the thieves.” Vardeghul lets out a harsh bark of laughter, “Yeah, you and half the city would be interested in that, I’d wager.” She turns back and addresses your group, “I don’t care what you do with the evidence or the guilty parties, make whatever deals suit you. All I care about is the sextant. Do we understand each other?”

Themes and Images

This scene should move quickly and feel cluttered, much like Vardeghul’s Lore Exchange itself. The back office has stacks of ratty tomes, rubbings, and other

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documents. To the layman it appears to be in disarray, but Vardeghul’s keen eyes watch everything in this chamber. If the characters touch anything or move things out of order it will get them a stern talking to from the elderly t’skrang. For the most part, this scene is meant to introduce the characters to their job and impress upon them that everyone seems to want a piece of their action.

Behind The Scenes

At the end of the introduction Vardeghul asks the characters what they know, and unfortunately it isn’t much. The characters know that they were told to report to Vardeghul, who is leading some sort of research project on a very important artifact. After the second block of text, the characters have learned that the artifact in question is the Astral Sextant and that it has gone missing. When the party first arrives at the Lore Exchange, Cleotha Splayfoot and Omag Bastabus are attempting to secure the contract the characters have already acquired. The two are clearly in the know as they are here talking to the Sextant’s lead researcher, and they’ve both heard of the theft. They each wish to gain influence for their respective nations (Throal and Thera) by being seen as publicly helping in the item’s recovery. A working Astral Sextant, with its ability to detect Horrors (and possibly Horror-marks), would be instrumental in protecting the city from corruption bleeding in from Parlainth. When the characters arrive, Omag realizes the time for the direct approach has passed and he leaves. He will appear again in the following scene, where he is attempting some rudimentary information gathering. If the characters wish to stop him here before he storms off he will smile at them but explain it is a busy morning and he has many places to be. He may even give them a wink to clue them in that he wishes to speak with them when there are no prying ears nearby. After Vardeghul brings the characters up to speed and Cleotha makes her offer, the characters have a chance to question the two. If the prospect of payment comes up, Vardeghul will wave her hands dismissively and say, “100 silver apiece, the standard amount for standard work.” Cleotha will mention she would be happy to put what assets she has towards the investigation, offering the characters another 75 silver each if they bring the evidence to her immediately (she is fine with the group delivering the Astral Sextant first, but she would like to speak with the characters right after). She will also mention helping her will put the characters in Throal’s good graces, which is usually a good place to be. If the characters ask about the sextant, Vardeghul will grind her teeth and say the investigation had only begun. She knows the object is of Theran make and should be able to point towards Horrors, but as yet the details are sketchy. If the characters can recover the object, investigation into these deeper truths can continue.

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If the group asks about the theft, Vardeghul will be annoyed and say, “I hired investigators to investigate! If I intended to do the work myself, it would already be getting done.” Cleotha will be more considerate, explaining what little is public knowledge. She will explain someone hit Trident Keep just before dawn. “Rumor has it a whole squad of thieves started an alarm there and made off with the relic while poisoning the guards… but rumors have a way of being blown out of proportion.” Characters may wish to just get information from either or both of the merchants, but only Cleotha is willing to speak here. Particularly skilled negotiators may notice with an Insight (9) or Perception (14) test that Cleotha is nervous. She fears a Throalic representative may have gotten caught up in the issue. She has learned of a “former” member of the Eye of Throal taking a caravan out to Haven in the past few months. And believes (rightly) he is involved in this theft. Talking to Cleotha about the resources she can bring to bear on the investigation, or why she has such a keen interest in the evidence will result in only vague answers unless they can persuade her. Cleotha has a Social Defense of 9, her default Attitude is Neutral, and revealing the information is considered a small favor (see the Gamemaster’s Guide, p. 142 for more on attitudes and favors). If she is not persuaded, Cleotha will simply say that a threat to Haven is a threat to everyone and she is one of the key importers and exporters in town. If someone is attempting to use her caravans to shift these illegal goods she wants to know about it and put a stop to it immediately. If the characters succeed, Cleotha will look worried and concede there are rumors working their way to her. She has heard rumblings that the Eye of Throal, the dwarf kingdom’s intelligence network, has seen more than its share of spies and subterfuge lately. She claims that if this is an Eye of Throal related problem she knows where to get the information to make sure as many people as possible are kept safe.

Troubleshooting

Characters may not want to take the mission in the first place. Vardeghul points out their respective adventuring companies (or Vardeghul herself, in the case of unaligned characters) have chosen them due to their records, and the fate of Haven may rest on their ability to recover the artifact and bring those who stole it to justice. If the appeal to their civic natures doesn’t work, she appeals to their vanity, pointing out that recovering the sextant would make them heroes, with whatever privileges and accolades that will bring. If none of this works, the characters can walk away. They earn no reward and may see their reputation suffer (see Loose Ends). Combat will not be tolerated. The presence of a grizzled troll guard should help dissuade the characters from getting physical, and backup from the adventuring companies or Torgak’s militia will arrive quickly if violence does break out.

ALWAYS BE CLOSING (60 Minutes)

Overview

The characters arrive at Trident Keep and find the fortress on lockdown. While waiting to be let in they are approached by Omag and offered a side job. As the

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characters debate politics they are approached by Girisha, who brings everyone but Omag inside. She brings the group up to speed and gives them a chance to examine the crime scene. An orphan was used to cause a distraction, a single guard was knocked out by a poisoned blade, and the secure storeroom was cracked. By following these leads the characters learn they are looking for a dwarf Thief adept who was recently seen at Loak’s Legacy.

Setting The Stage

The residents of Trident Keep are far from their boisterous selves when you approach. The normally wide open double doors are closed, and two guards stand outside. You hand over your letter of introduction and one of the guards goes inside. As you wait in the still morning air, you hear footsteps behind you. The human from before, Omag, is approaching. He gives a wide smile. “I see you have taken the job. I must say, I wasn’t so sure when I first saw the lot of you. You seem a little wide eyed, a little too trusting, and Vardeghul can be a very difficult employer.” He looks around casually, letting the pause linger before continuing, “I’m sure Cleotha has already offered you a fee for information on the thieves. I assure you, whatever she offered I will double it. Also, I would caution you to not believe everything you heard. I represent independent business interests. Yes, some have ties to the Theran government—loose ties—but Cleotha represents something far worse. She is closely intertwined with the Throalic kingdom. If the dwarfs get their hooks into Haven, they will shake out all of its wealth and not let go until our beloved home is shattered and broken. Torgak doesn’t trust them as far as he can spit, and neither should you.” As Omag finishes his speech, a matronly troll woman emerges from Trident Keep, a large wolf at her side, “So you’re Vardeghul’s investigators. I’m Girisha, of the Gardeners. My patient inside is stable, so I have an opportunity to talk with you and take you within. Shall we?” the troll notices Omag, apparently for the first time. “Not him,” she says, grimacing. He stays as far away from me as he can get.” Once Within: Trident Keep’s chambers are buzzing with activity. Through the double doors is a large training field. Off to one side, a dozen young Namegivers are being loudly dressed down by a dour looking dwarf. Girisha speaks up as you keep walking. “I’ll tell you what the Arm already knows. About three hours ago, someone made a calculated strike against this facility. An orphan boy with a fine knife was spotted wandering the dormitories, apparently a distraction. He is currently locked in a dorm room. Spotting the boy raised an alarm and temporarily pulled the guards away from the storeroom. One man returned to the storeroom and found the door cracked open. He entered to investigate and got into a fight with… something… and it dosed him with some intense knockout drugs. He’s resting in the kitchens now but is awake. What will it be? The storeroom? The boy? The injured guard? They all seem like reasonable places to begin.”

Themes and Images

The primary theme of this scene is confusion. Nobody is sure exactly what happened, and everyone is still trying to get their bearings. Other guards can be seen

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roaming the halls and if any characters start wandering alone they are likely to be stopped and questioned.

Behind the Scenes

Outside Trident Keep, Omag makes his offer and it is legitimate. However, it does require the characters bring the information to him first, so they will not be able to accomplish both his task and Cleotha’s. When Girisha calls the characters to enter the keep she will be unhappy if they linger but will wait if the group has questions for Omag. Unfortunately, Omag doesn’t have any answers. If pressed as to why he is willing to pay so much for the information, the characters can make a Charisma (9) test. If the test fails, he will say he wants to keep up on what’s happening in town, and he is well paid to make sure his employers make as much as possible from their business in Haven. If the test succeeds, Omag will also say he believes the Eye of Throal may have a hand in the thefts. If Cleotha learns of the Eye’s involvement, she will bury the information and try to mislead the town so as not to defame the Kingdom. If Omag is asked why he thinks that, he gives a slimy smile and explains he has a lot of ears to the ground. A report crossed his desk that seemed to implicate the Eye’s involvement, but he has no hard proof. Once within the keep, Girisha does a good job of laying out the situation. There are three clear leads and Girisha mentions them all. If asked, Girisha will say she doubts the theft is an inside job as it sounds like all members of renown were in bed during the theft and none within the group are known for this type of underhanded act. If asked about Vardeghul, Cleotha, or Omag, Girisha will dissemble, saying she prefers to stay out of city politics. She explains she is only here because she was on duty at the Conservatory when a runner came requesting aid for the poisoned man. If pressed, she will state her basic opinions. Vardeghul is nothing but a miser. Cleotha seems like a strong mother but does little to protect what she claims is her family. Still, either is better than Omag, who has been linked to half a dozen slaving operations. She cautions the characters against aligning with any of the three, but especially against trusting Omag. There is little of interest in the training yard. The theft happened in the tower that dominates the northern end of the yard. The dwarf yelling at the trainees is Norgut Thosgror. If questioned he will answer honestly but has little information. He was roused by the alarm while in his third-floor room. He took the extra effort to don his mail and grab his axe. By the time he reached the second floor, the orphan was surrounded by some foolish guards and already in panicked tears. If Norgut is asked about the political aspect he will side strongly with Throal (and thus Cleotha), explaining that Throal has done nothing but defend Barsaive from the depredations of outside forces. Slaving is deplorable, and he would never do business with someone even tangentially related to it. The keep is about five stories high, but the higher one goes, the more questionable its condition becomes. On the first floor, the west side is dominated by a mess hall and the east side is a series of storerooms (one of which is where the sextant was stored).

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There are stairs inside, but there are also exterior service stairs leading up to the second floor, which contains dormitories. The third floor has rooms for the senior staff and anything higher is used on an as-needed basis. The keep has windows, but they are narrow slits. A windling could fit through with ease, while it would be a challenge for a dwarf. Anything larger would require significant magic.

The Scene of the Crime When the characters ask to examine the room where the sextant was kept, Girisha leads them in through a side door on the eastern side of the tower and through a utility hall with a number of small unlabeled doors. Stopping at a t-intersection, she turns to a reinforced wooden door that is cracked open. She pushes it open slowly to reveal a storeroom filled to near capacity with wooden boxes on solidly constructed shelves. Two guards are getting to their feet in the back of the storeroom before Girisha waves them down and lets the characters do as they will. The door has a solid internal lock and there is no obvious damage to the door or its frame. A Perception (7) test shows no signs of a struggle, and only one small spot of blood near the door. A successful test also reveals nothing else in the storeroom was disturbed, though the guards can supply this information on their own. This indicates the sextant was the intended target. Evidence Analysis (5), a Thief or Scout using half-magic (DN 7), or Perception (10) can reconstruct the attack from the scene of the crime, revealing several hiding places from which an assailant could cut the guard before the guard could react, and noting the culprit would need to be an adept with the ability to pick locks and move silently. Most likely a Thief or Scout, though an Illusionist might qualify. Any of these Disciplines would have little trouble ambushing and poisoning a single guard. If the characters question the guards in the storeroom, they learn one was on shift in the early morning while the other was awakened when the alarm was raised. Flinn, the guard who was on shift last night, will tell her side of the story if questioned (see The Guards’ Story for more details). The Orphan If the characters wish to question the child found in the tower, Girisha leads them to the second floor on the west side of the facility. The group will pass through a few winding passages, then stop at a door that has a human guard leaning against it. The human, Gerard, will explain the child is being given some time to calm down in the room alone. If the group wishes to question him, he recommends they use a soft touch. Opening the door reveals a small twin bed with a young girl sitting on it, sniffling back tears. There is an empty desk and chair as well as an open and empty footlocker. The orphan is a young dwarf, terrified and more than a little confused. Getting anything useful out of her requires that she be calmed down. She has a Social Defense of 6 and starts off Unfriendly toward the characters. Getting her to talk is considered a small favor. Her name is Jahn and she will explain she has no parents but tries not to stay at Garlen’s Alms if she has a choice, preferring instead to stand on her own two feet, “like a real hero.” She explains she had decided to sleep in the alley outside of Loak’s

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Legacy, hoping to receive some scraps from the kind bartender there once he had finished preparing breakfast. A few hours before dawn, a “nice dwarf” gave Jahn an ornate dagger, saying the weapon would be a perfect gift for the girl’s hero, the Sky Raider Egil Rarfu. The dwarf then convinced the child to climb the service stairs and enter Trident Keep to handdeliver the dagger. The orphan can give a description of the dwarf (if the characters have participated in LoB 100: Masks of Fear the dwarf sounds familiar. A Perception (7) test recalls a Throalic dwarf named Timon having traveled with the player characters to Haven, looking to “make his fortune”). Gerard was on shift at the storeroom last night and can explain his side of the story (see The Guards Story). Gerard or Girisha can also get Egil if necessary. The troll will arrive bleary-eyed, explaining he had been out too late at Loak’s Legacy the night before. He had been awakened by the alarm, but by the time he was ready to come down people were already telling him it was a false alarm and he returned to bed. If shown the dagger, Egil will be surprised and admit that it is his. It had been on his belt when he went out drinking the previous night, so someone must have lifted it from him at that time. If questioned about politics Egil will respond gruffly that it is too early in the morning to discuss something so aggravating. If pushed he will tell the adventurers to focus on reputation first and pay second. A good reputation creates opportunities for more money.

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The Poisoned Guard When asking after the poisoned guard, Girisha leads the characters into the feasting hall. The hall itself is mostly empty and the group quickly moves through the back door that leads to the kitchens. Sitting on the edge of one of the tables in the kitchen, shaking his head groggily, is an ork. Girisha will introduce him as Baresh and explain he was found unconscious at the scene, and she was called to treat his wounds. The wounds were minor, but severely inflamed. She has bandaged them already, but if any of the characters are skilled physicians they are welcome to inspect the wounds first hand. As they enter the room, Girisha will begin to speak about her patient in a kind and motherly tone. She will mention Baresh was cut on the leg and quickly rendered unconscious. “It was clearly poison that was used against the poor boy, and a very potent variety.” She treated the wound but was unable to identify the exact nature of the poison. Speaking on behalf of the Gardeners she will tell the characters that if they can recover a sample of whatever did this to the guard, her organization could provide the group with antidotes. After all, if the characters intend on hunting the thief they might use the same drug again. The poisoned guard is a storm of emotions: ashamed of himself for failing at his job, angry with the thief for not fighting fair, frustrated with his poison-induced grogginess, and very distrusting of the orphan poking around in the keep. All this, and the lingering effects of the poison are making him unfocused, with occasional emotional bursts of any of the above. When an outburst happens, a successful Charisma (7) test calms him down enough to continue with his story. He will tell his side of the story (see The Guards’ Story for further details) and then describes what only he saw. Upon returning to the storeroom he thought he heard the door click shut. Unsure, he tried the latch and found the room unlocked. Opening the door, he saw a shape, a dwarf-sized Namegiver that leapt at him from the shadows. Embarrassed, he will admit that they traded a few blows, but it didn’t take long before the dwarf drew blood from Baresh’s leg. Almost immediately the room began to spin, and Baresh next recalls waking up in the kitchen with Girisha worrying over his leg. If asked, he’ll show his wound, a small nick on his leg with a purple discoloration around it, a lingering effect of the poison. An Alchemy (7) test can identify the poison as plant-based, and extra successes will identify the poison as one distilled from a variety of fungus that grows deep under the Throal Mountains. A successful Knowledge (5) test related to weapons (or other appropriate skill) identifies the cut as a thin, shallow slice, most likely done with a small blade. A Physician (5) test identifies the wound as a poisoned one, but that it has been well treated. Extra successes on the Physician test will provide the information from a successful Alchemy test mentioned above. If asked about anything unusual before the break-in, Baresh will remember he had a run-in with a suspicious dwarf the previous evening. The dwarf was investigating the utility stairs that led to the dormitories while Baresh was on his to bed. The dwarf introduced himself as Timon and expressed interest in joining the Strongest Arm but was told the next meeting wasn’t for a couple weeks, and the dormitories were strictly off limits. Timon had looked disappointed, and Baresh suggested he look into staying at an inn until the next meeting, recommending Loak’s Legacy as a good option.

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The Guards’ Story There were three guards assigned to the storerooms in the north east section of Trident Keep at the time of the theft. A dwarf woman named Flinn, an ork named Baresh, and a human named Gerard. All three of them, though slightly embarrassed, will tell the same story when questioned. Each guard patrolled one of the three corridors leading to the storeroom and would meet at the intersection regularly to check in. When they heard the alarm raised on the upper floors, each moved to discover what was happening. They made it to the central feasting hall, with a minute or two of confusion at most, when Flinn and Gerard told Baresh to go back to the store rooms in case the alarm was a distraction. After the orphan was discovered, Flinn and Gerard returned to their post and found Baresh unconscious and the storeroom door still open. Baresh has more information which is provided above under The Poisoned Guard.

Troubleshooting

Characters may be suspicious of Omag because of his ties to Thera, but he is on the level here. If they want to follow him instead of heading to Trident Keep, they can do so, but he does nothing more than return to his office where he plans to spend the rest of the day. If the players are having no luck with their dice or are going down the wrong road during the investigation, Girisha may be able to add a piece of information here, or a redirect there, and get the players back on track. The most important clues are the theft was done by a dwarf, and more information can probably be found at Loak’s Legacy.

A THORNY ISSUE (45 Minutes)

Overview

The characters go to Loak’s Legacy to gather more information about their suspect. While asking around, an altercation breaks out between a young blood elf and some local thugs. They also meet Fafedriel, the leader of the Blood Wood delegation to Parlainth, and learn where in Loak’s Legacy Timon is staying.

Setting The Stage

Loak’s Legacy is a rough and tumble bar. The enormous dining room could fit a hundred Namegivers comfortably, while the hastily repaired tables and benches set the mood. Off-duty guards, laborers and adepts rub elbows over cheap food and decent ale. Fist fights spring up with some regularity, broken up by bouncers when they escalate. As you enter, one such troll pointedly glances at your weapons before declaring “keep ‘em sheathed, an’ there’ll be no trouble.” You walk inside and see a quiet establishment. The breakfast rush, if there had even been one, appears to have dispersed. There is a group of humans sitting at a table near the stairs up to the rooms. The ork behind the bar looks at your group curiously as he puts a bottle back on the shelf.

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When the characters start talking to the bartender: Before the barkeep can answer, an “Oi!” followed by muffled apologies gets your attention. You turn to find an unusual sight: a blood elf, thorns growing from his flesh, is backing toward you. Barely an adult, he is pursued by several drunk thugs. Their apparent leader, a burly, balding human with a thick moustache, spits at the blood elf’s feet. “Damn bleeders, bringin’ nothin’ but trouble! Y’come inta town like y’own the place, now y’come int’ my bar an’ try’n disrespect me?” The elf, panicked, rapidly speaks in thickly accented Throalic “I didn’t mean to… I just bumped into… I’m sorry…” He glances at you, a pleading look in his eyes, the thorns of his flesh glistening with blood and sweat. “Please…” is all he manages before one of the drunks throws a bottle, narrowly missing the elf and shattering at your feet. The leader looks at you, then back to the boy “ain’t no one here gun’ be friends with you, creature.” After five rounds of fighting (whether or not the characters were involved): The front door slams open with a loud crack as it bounces hard off the far wall. Standing in the doorway is a tall blood elf, simultaneously beautiful and horrible. A wind outside gusts around him and into the room. Everyone stops in their tracks, startled. The elf takes a few steps in, his icy gaze moving across the room, “What is the meaning of this?” The humans quickly gather up their belongings and move to the back door, while the adolescent elf stands shakily. The older elf stares daggers at the younger. “I can’t leave you alone for a moment, can I, Darthann?” His eyes then fall towards you. “Can I help you with something?”

Themes and Images

This scene introduces the Blood Wood, another power player in Haven. The blood elves are feared for their appearance and demeanor, and rumors abound of the strange things that go on in the Blood Wood. That Fafedriel is an unnerving individual does not help these tensions. Nonetheless, the sight of a young boy possibly getting beaten up by angry drunks should give the characters pause. The clientele at Loak’s Legacy are a good reminder that Haven is a frontier town in a threatening environment, full of the tough individuals such a town needs to keep running. This scene serves to break up the investigation with some action, letting characters blow off a little steam.

Behind The Scenes

Loak’s Legacy is a huge three-story building. The bottom floor is devoted to a pub that serves clientele around the clock. It is typically a noisy space with occasional fights breaking out. The kitchen behind the bar churns out a steady stream of cheap, filling food, while Heiren, the bartender, offers decent ale for a decent price (by Haven standards). The second floor is full of private rooms, while the third is a large, open common sleeping area for less wealthy guests. Just as the characters start asking questions, the disturbance with Darthann begins. If the characters approach the group of humans before the bartender, the humans tell them to get lost and only come back with drinks. When the characters move on to the bartender, the elf comes downstairs and the fight begins.

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Tensions are high between the blood elves and the general population in Haven. They pay well but tend to treat their employees poorly, and often make deals that leave Havenites worse off while never outright cheating them. This has led to some understandable distrust of blood elves as a whole, and one young elf has had the misfortune of trying to go off on his own like a grown-up and underestimating the animosity. The bouncers hang back at first, not wanting to be seen harming an elf boy but not exactly upset that it’s happening, with the bar’s employees likewise just watching the situation. The elf is young, barely into adulthood. His blood elf nature is unnerving, but his fear is plain to see. If the characters get involved in the fight, they face an equal number of thugs. If they do not, don’t roll out the scuffle, just describe the young elf taking a few licks before Fafedriel arrives. While the tussle takes place, Fafedriel is sneaking into Timon’s room on the second floor (see the next scene for more details). His impressive stealth and abilities set the Perception Difficulty at 21 for those outside or upstairs to notice the sound over the distractions. He is retrieving a few broken trinkets and making sure that nothing in Timon’s room points to the Blood Wood. The drunken louts attacking the elf are listed in Cast of Characters. After five rounds (about 30 seconds) of tussling, Fafedriel makes his appearance at the front door (as described under Setting the Stage).

Fafedriel If the characters were defending the youth, Fafedriel will have a friendly disposition towards them, inviting them to sit with him and have a drink. If the group simply watched, he will sit with Darthann and give the characters a cold reception. In this case, a successful Charisma (11) test is required for him to discuss anything with the characters. If the characters pursue a conversation, Fafedriel launches into a brief tirade on the inhospitality of the “rabble” in town. Fafedriel is effectively the voice of the Blood Wood in Haven, occasionally arriving to conduct whatever business Queen Alachia has sent him on (business he advises the characters they have no right to know), often involving Parlainth itself. If asked, Fafedriel, will claim to know nothing about any thefts, though a successful Insight (11) or Awareness (16) test is enough to know he is hiding something. The only information he will reveal is spending time at Loak’s last night and drinking. He recalls a dwarf and a troll playing games of chance together in which the troll was greatly outclassed. Fafedriel will say he believes the dwarf was cheating, something common among their kind. He lets that odd bit of casual racism hang in the air uncomfortably. If Fafedriel learns the characters are investigating a theft he will express interest, attempting to get more information out of them (though he already knows more than anyone else in the city about the crime). Fafedriel will even offer 100 silver each if the group is willing to furnish him with proof of the thief’s identity, claiming that he

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wishes to improve his relations with Torgak by looking like he would take an interest in an issue clearly so important to the community. If Fafedriel is asked about Cleotha or Omag he will just laugh, stating the two are in far over their heads and focus far too intently on one another’s throats. He explains either would happily see Haven burn to claim its ashes, as long as it meant the other would get nothing.

Heiren If the party goes back to questioning Heiren, a successful Charisma (10) test or bribe (each silver reduces the Charisma DN by 1) will convince him to reveal “that slippery dwarf” is upstairs. Heiren will recall the dwarf retired in the early morning hours and hasn’t been seen since. Heiren reminds the characters that Loak’s Legacy is serious about patrons not drawing weapons on one another, but then looks away from the group washing his hands of the situation. If Heiren is asked about Fafedriel and the blood elves, he will say they arrived about a week back with an entourage of five others (including Darthann), booking private rooms in the inn for a premium. The boy has been waiting on the older elf like a servant, but in his spare moments has been awkwardly hanging about the common room, taking in the atmosphere and haltingly speaking with the locals in heavily accented Throalic.

Timon If the characters ask Heiren or Fafedriel whether anyone else has been looking for Timon, they will learn about Joneth’s Foxes. This group of young adventurers are noted party animals who’d recently struck it rich but haven’t been doing much lately besides drinking. They often drank with Timon and seemed to be looking for him at breakfast this morning. If the group is getting along with Fafedriel, the blood elf will give this information with some malice in his voice. If pressed, the elf will only say he finds the conduct of the Foxes distasteful. Neither Heiren nor Fafedriel knows if the Foxes successfully spoke to Timon, but they did go upstairs to see him at some point during the morning rush. Nobody will stop the characters from going upstairs to check Timon’s room. Timon’s room is locked. The characters could try to convince Heiren to give them the key, which requires another Charisma (10) test (with the same reduction for bribery as described above). Alternately, the low amount of foot traffic between the first and third floors makes it fairly easy to loiter and attempt picking the lock. A Lock Picking (6) test is enough to unlock the door. Opening the door moves the characters immediately to the next scene.

Troubleshooting

If the players seem more interested in continuing the investigation than fighting, wrap up the fight quickly to move on. The other danger is if the characters are somehow being defeated in the brawl. In that case, the bouncers can intervene, or

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Fafedriel can arrive earlier to interrupt. For example, one of the drunks may pull a knife, snapping bouncers to attention and causing them to rush in. Attacking Fafedriel should seem like a terrible idea. He fights defensively, almost contemptuously, and the look of fear on many faces should be enough to hint to the players not to fight him.

IF YOU WANT IT DONE RIGHT (30 Minutes).

Overview

Reaching Timon’s room, the characters may be expecting a fight or tough social exchange. Instead, they find the dwarf’s body, after what appears to have been a bloody struggle. The room has been looted, and the characters investigate what’s been left behind. The sextant is missing, but they find a necklace pointing to Timon’s connections to the Eye of Throal.

Setting The Stage

Making sure the coast is clear, you open the door into Timon’s room expecting to catch the thief red-handed. What you find on the other side is carnage. The dwarf slumps dead beneath the open window across the room. A pool of blood from a variety of wounds already surrounds him. The room has been ransacked, the bloody bedding cast about, and a footlocker at the base of the bed stands open and empty.

Themes and Images

The struggle in Timon’s room was violent and sloppy. While finding Timon dead and the sextant missing may be disappointing, the leads the characters get in this scene are significant, with a story of what happened starting to take shape. Though the clientele at Loak’s Legacy are rowdy, the characters can interact with them further to learn rumors from Parlainth and beyond.

Behind The Scenes

As the sun rose over Parlainth, Joneth’s Foxes entered Timon’s room. They didn’t have the money they had promised the dwarf and hoped to secure the Astral Sextant on credit. Timon would not agree to that deal and the inexperienced adventurers panicked and killed the dwarf, trashing the room to steal the sextant. However, in the process they damaged the artifact. The Foxes gathered up what they could and left in a hurry, returning to their estate. Luckily for the Foxes, the disturbance occurred during the morning rush, and the clientele of Loak’s Legacy have conditioned themselves not to butt in on the business of others. During the fight with the thugs, Fafedriel scaled the outside wall and entered through the window. He removed any remaining pieces of the broken artifact but left the rest of the crime scene undisturbed. He was aware of the Foxes’ ploy, but after seeing how sloppily they handled the situation, and knowing the sextant is now broken, Fafedriel is writing off the whole operation. He left the way he came in, leaving no evidence of his passing beyond the open window.

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Picking through this crime scene reveals a variety of fresh clues. The room is a mess, with obvious signs that the combat was chaotic. Various cuts and slashes can be seen in furniture, the walls, and the floor. Much of the furniture has been overturned in a rapid effort to ransack the space. Timon’s body is covered with wounds made by a variety of weapons. A Physician test, applicable half-magic, Knowledge, or Perception test reveals injuries from four different sources on him. The wounds can be identified based on the results described on the following table. Characters learn all information up to the result of the test. Result

Information Learned

1+

Two arrows are lodged in the dwarf’s chest.

8+

Multiple cuts on his arms and torso from a broadsword.

5+ 11+

A large gash from a two-handed sword cut into his shoulder, and also caused much of the damage to the room’s furniture. Bleeding from his ears and around his eyes likely came from a spell.

A bloody dagger lies near the dwarf’s hand, and investigating his body also reveals a necklace the dwarf was wearing, pinned to him by one of the arrows. The necklace is badly damaged but depicts a stylized eye. Knowledge (5) tests related to Throal reveal this as a symbol of the Eye of Throal. A Perception (8) test reveals the sigil is damaged far beyond being struck by a wayward arrow, and more than one would expect from a fight like this. Timon’s money pouch has been cut away as well, the leather ties are still wrapped around his belt. A strongbox inside the footlocker should contain the sextant, but it’s not there. A successful Perception (5) test reveals the strongbox was smashed open and was the right size for the artifact. Some Throalic coins are scattered in the chest, as is a small, weathered leather book written in Throalic. This is Timon’s journal, where he kept track of contacts and details about jobs and dates all the way back to his days as a loyal servant of Throal. Each page has a one-word title, a few bullets listed with details, and a status listed at the bottom. Early pages might read: “Falling Triumph. Ayodhya Liferock, Gorin, Omasu’s Brother, high noon. FAILED”. The last page of the journal reads “Animal’s Measure. Joneth, Strongest Arm, Storeroom C, one thousand silver, dawn at Loak’s.” This final entry does not list a status. Ten minutes with the journal and a successful Research (7) test is enough to notice most of the missions in the book end in failure or just trail off with no mission status listed. An extra success leads the researcher to believe Timon was no longer with the dwarven group, likely burned by the intelligence organization as most of the latter entries are the kinds of jobs done by a freelancer rather than an agent.

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A small leather potion case that appears to have been smashed open in a hurry lies next to the strongbox in the footlocker. Two small, broken vials have spilled their contents, now congealing. One vial, cool to the touch, is unbroken and contains a purple liquid beginning to separate into suspended solids. A Patterncraft (5) test reveals the case may have been enchanted with the ability to keep items cold, but it appears too damaged to do so anymore. An Alchemy (7) test confirms this is the substance used on the guard and reveals the substance loses potency rapidly if not stored in a cold environment. This liquid matches the coloration of the wound on the poisoned guard’s leg. Returning this to the Gardeners will fulfill the optional objective put forward by Girisha.

Chillspore Poison The citizens of Throal often use a tincture made of powdered chillspore mushrooms that grow in the deeper reaches of the subterranean kingdom as a minor sedative or sleep aid. Alchemists in service of the crown have experimented with distilling the extract of this fungus into a potent poison that can induce a state of unconsciousness if introduced into the bloodstream. Unfortunately, the potency of such a poison only remains while it is stored in cold conditions and removing it for more than a small amount of time lessens its power.

The Patrons of Loak’s Legacy If the group starts knocking on neighboring doors, it is difficult for them to get answers. Most rooms are empty, but if the group spends enough time they can get someone to cautiously open a door. The patron is suspicious (Unfriendly Attitude) with a Social Defense of 7. Convincing him to talk is considered a minor favor. The neighbor will admit the sound of a fight woke him up around dawn. He peeked through his door and saw four Namegivers walking hurriedly away from Timon’s room after closing the door: a human, two orks, and a dwarf. He isn’t sure who they were but is pretty sure they were regular patrons of the tavern. If the Characters ask around downstairs about this group, mentions Joneth’s name, or mentions the Foxes in general, either Heiren or Fafedriel can give them information. Joneth leads a group of young adventurers, Joneth’s Foxes. They struck it rich not long ago finding some artifact in the ruins. Their activity of choice lately has been getting drunk at Loak’s Legacy. With no new stories to tell, they were yesterday’s news, but had become drinking buddies with Timon, who seemed to have a sad past he was unwilling to discuss with other regulars. If the characters ask where they can find the Foxes, Heiren will note it’s strange the group isn’t already here drinking. The characters will be directed to a home the adventurers purchased in the city’s new neighborhood. With a successful Charisma (7) test Heiren (made easier if bribed or successfully Interacted with) mentions the Foxes seemed more nervous than usual the last couple of days, and that they’d been running up a large tab.

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Troubleshooting

The players could roll poorly and miss important clues, in which case one of Heiren’s bouncers comes up and beckons them down to talk to the bartender, in the process seeing the carnage. With the revelation the Foxes may have drawn weapons on a guest, Heiren is more willing to provide the information about where the group can be found. Some of the more important details may get lost, but this can keep the investigation moving forward.

A MOMENTARY LAPSE IN JUDGMENT (15 Minutes)

Overview

The characters reach the old house Joneth’s Foxes bought after their windfall, only to find the group has left in a hurry. Further investigation reveals the sorry state the home has fallen into, with considerable debts that led them to accept a shady offer from a mysterious benefactor to retrieve the sextant, and the circumstances behind their double-crossed catspaw. Finally, the characters learn the Foxes’ destination: an exchange with a courier in the wilderness beyond Parlainth.

Setting The Stage

You didn’t expect other adventurers to get tangled up in this. You see the Foxes’ house at a distance, a two-story stone affair, rather garish for the neighborhood. Pushing your way through the creaking iron gate, you prepare yourselves for the worst, only to find the door standing wide open and unattended. Entering carefully, you find yourselves in an open and empty foyer. A finely wrought wooden staircase leads to the upper floors and there are a number of exits from the room. At first the open floor plan seems a refreshing departure from the cluttered lives of most Namegivers, but then you realize it’s more than that. Everything not bolted down appears to have been removed from the home. Through an open door the east you hear the crackle of a fire and smell the smoke of paper tinder rapidly burning. After the group analyzes the fire: The papers make it clear the Foxes have skipped town, but it must have been very recently. Before you can wrap your mind around the case’s new wrinkle you hear the front gate let loose a piercing shriek. A quick glance through the opened window reveals half a dozen Lawbringers walking up to the front door, their group led by a dwarf holding the reins of a huttawa.

Themes and Images

The impression should be one of a rapid rise and equally rapid fall. The bare building does not square with the stories of excess the characters may have heard earlier in the adventure. Joneth’s Foxes became overnight celebrities thanks to their big score but squandered their fortune and were forced to turn to desperate measures to try and salvage their situation. While the characters investigate their quarry, they’ll learn the young adventurers might have been taken advantage of, or at least exercised

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poor judgment after putting themselves in a desperate situation. This might even give them insight into potential pitfalls lurking in their own future.

Behind The Scenes

The house is bare, with only the most basic furniture remaining. The upper floors contain a handful of bedrooms and two studies. The lower floors are common areas that would be great for entertaining, were they not unfurnished. The place is empty because the Foxes leapt at their chance of fame and spent far beyond their means rapidly. They bought ostentatious furniture pieces only to later pawn them to pay their bar tabs. As the group found themselves deeper and deeper in debt, they were contacted with an opportunity: to steal back the sextant they were famous for recovering in the first place. But things didn’t go to plan. The Foxes, after killing their catspaw, panicked and came home to the news they needed to deliver the Sextant that night. Their double-cross gained them the sextant, but the item was missing part of its gearworks, dislodged during the fight with the dwarf. None of the Foxes were pleased with the turn of events but they felt like they didn’t have much choice. With a rapidly cooling body and their chance at a payday slipping away, Joneth’s gang grabbed what little remained here and made for the gates of Haven. The building is a two-story stone edifice with mild wear and tear. The interior and exterior are covered in carvings of idyllic pre-Scourge scenes. The elegant surroundings stand in stark contrast to the building’s unfurnished interior. Characters searching through the few drawers that remain can make a Perception (5) test to find angry notes from merchants warning they will collect on their debts, one way or another. With an extra success they find a half-written note from Joneth to Torgak himself, begging for additional time to pay what is owed. The characters can also find a discarded bottle on the floor in one of the first-floor common areas. An Alchemy (6) test can identify the residue as containing healing properties, while an extra success identifies the original contents as a booster potion. If the characters move quickly towards the fireplace, they have a chance of saving the papers the Foxes are burning to cover their tracks. Most of the papers are now illegible, but some readable segments remain. Whoever tries to retrieve the papers makes a Dexterity (7) test to determine how much can be gathered from the scraps as indicated on the following table. All information up to the number of successes is learned. The pages are badly burned and were hurriedly shoved into the fireplace in no particular order. At gamemaster discretion, a clever idea to salvage the pieces might allow another ability to substitute for Dexterity or provide a bonus to the test.

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Successes

Result

1

The group fell into debt due to their lavish lifestyle. As the debts piled up, a mysterious employer offered them a major payout to steal the sextant. The employer worked through dead drops or intermediaries and seemed to know everything about their situation.

0

2

3+

The Foxes are meeting their employer at the tenth milestone along the old road tonight and have been told to wait one hour for a courier. Joneth wishes he weren’t such a compulsive note-taker, but he’s having trouble staying brave for the rest of the team and needs a place to vent his concerns.

The group needed to hire a Thief as they didn’t possess the skills to steal the sextant on their own. A note from Joneth to the Siluvius, the group’s Illusionist, mentions the Foxes don’t have the money to pay Timon and discuss the possibility of using force. Siluvius also tried to track someone from the dead drop to determine their employer but wasn’t able to keep up.

Joneth is getting increasingly paranoid, thinking he has been being watched since Siluvius tried to follow the person at the dead drop. He isn’t sure but thinks they might have become tangled up with the Blood Wood—their job offer was made the day after their weird leader showed up.

At the very least, the characters should learn the Foxes are the perpetrators of the crime and are escaping Haven to hand off their ill-gotten goods. They will likely pick up on the group falling into debt and needing a big score to pay it off. As soon as the group begins collating all of this data, read the final paragraph from Setting the Scene.

The Lawbringers Loster’s Lawbringers view the issue of the missing sextant as an internal issue between the Strongest Arm and Torgak. The theft from Trident Keep was seen as another twist in the Lawbringers’ mostly friendly rivalry with the Strongest Arm. The Cavalryman Boselyn Oakram, however, saw this as the latest in a string of thefts in Haven and took the initiative to explore it on her own. She suspects the theft of the sextant is part of an ongoing plot to make the Adventuring Companies appear weak. Hearing of the group’s dust-up in Loak’s Legacy, she set out to find them, eventually finding them at the Foxes’ hideout. Boselyn isn’t sure how the characters fit into the situation and suspects they might be in on the scheme somehow. She will pound on the door before forcing her way in. At first, she will accuse the party of anything she can come up with, the most obvious being breaking and entering into a home which is not theirs. She begins the scene with a default Unfriendly attitude and has a Social Defense of 8. This might be modified to Neutral if any of the characters have interacted with her positively in previous adventures or are members of the Lawbringers. If the party offers Vardeghul’s letter of introduction, Boselyn will snatch the paper and read it. Her eyes will dart across the page as her mouth moves. This will also improve her attitude to Neutral, but she will still demand updates on the investigation.

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Once the group has answered Boselyn’s questions or otherwise managed to bring her to an attitude of at least Neutral she will tell the characters she has a vested interest in seeing the community return to law and would be pleased if the Lawbringers are involved in it. When she discovers the Foxes are already out of town she will curse under her breath and go on to explain her duties will not let her ride out of Haven on what might be a false lead. However, she can offer each member of the group 100 silver for bringing Joneth in alive. She will explain that while the Foxes’ crimes almost certainly qualify them for a quick death, she is concerned the theft represents something far worse, and she trusts the Lawbringers to be able to get to the bottom of it. If asked about the various parties involved, Boselyn will let loose a bark of laughter. She believes politicians are snakes and not to be trusted. If she were forced to decide between Throal, Thera, and the Blood Wood she would cautiously take the Blood Wood, because at least they know how to treat their beasts of burden.

Troubleshooting

If the players are unable to put the pieces together, or roll particularly poorly, they may need help getting pointed in the right direction. In this case, Boselyn can draw her the necessary conclusions from the state of the place and her own investigation. She may also salvage clues the characters missed. In any case, as long as the characters should know where the Foxes were headed, and that time is of the essence.

A WRENCH IN THE WORKS (60 Minutes)

Overview

The characters find their targets waiting nervously just off the road, looking tired and upset. If approached, Joneth is cautious but reveals the Foxes are awaiting a courier so they can make a hand-off and leave Haven forever. Joneth’s group will likely attack in a desperate bid to overwhelm the characters and flee. The group recovers the Astral Sextant extant after the combat and notice key gears missing, rendering the artifact inoperable.

Setting The Stage

Leaving Haven is a breath of fresh air. The wilderness here is gently rolling hills with small copses of trees tending towards the valleys. The Foxes are due to have a meeting after dusk at the tenth mile marker, and they have a head start. To get there well before dusk will be a challenge but missing whatever meeting the group is planning would likely be far more disastrous.

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When the group sets eyes on the tenth mile marker: You haven’t seen anybody else on the road for miles. Traffic this far from Haven is rare, especially late in the day. Most travelers have likely already posted up somewhere for the evening. As you crest a hill you spot your quarry about a hundred yards away. A marker stands at the edge of the woods, and a small turnout hosts a space to camp. Two tents have been erected, and a small fire has been lit nearby. A dwarf is tending to the flames, calmly and with a practiced hand. Standing over his shoulder is a fidgety young man who keeps looking up and down the path, though it seems he has yet to notice you. Sitting beside the trail is an ork woman working on a set of arrows, her materials laid out in front of her. A distant clacking leads you to believe someone is just beyond the tree line preparing wood for the night’s fire. If the group approaches Joneth peacefully: As you get within two dozen yards of the camped Namegivers, it is clear the group isn’t looking for visitors. The ork woman brushes her arrows off to the side of the trail while stringing her bow. A male ork of about the same emerges from the woods carrying a large sword. The dwarf is resting on his haunches and warming his hands by the fire, but it is the human who approaches with a smile. “Greetings friends! It’s a bit late to be travelling on the road, and I’m sorry to say we’ve already claimed this space. Perhaps you’ll have better luck a mile or so on?”

Themes and Images

The wilderness around Parlainth is foreboding, especially at night. The characters are venturing into terrain known to be wild, and the gamemaster should play up the unsettling nature of the area beyond the safety of Haven’s walls. Once encountered, the Foxes are a threat, but they’re equally unnerved. They glance around suspiciously, shoot glares at the characters and each other, and speak with a hint of panic in their voices. In their escape from Haven, each of the Foxes has had time to consider the mess they’re in. As a result, they snap at each other, jump at small sounds, and have the disposition of cornered animals.

Behind The Scenes

The group has some distance to go and not much time in which to do it. If they’re mounted, this won’t be a concern, but characters on foot may have a problem. They can make a Wilderness Survival (7) or Navigation (7) test to find an overland route that will reach the tenth mile marker well before dusk. Failing that, each character will need to make Toughness (6) test or be worn out from the fast pace. For each point by which they missed the test, the character takes one strain. The Foxes believe they are waiting for a courier, most likely a blood elf, but none will actually arrive. Fafedriel already knows the device is broken and has scrubbed the mission, leaving the Foxes to their fate and hoping to keep his name out of the situation. Considering they Foxes don’t know his identity, this is very likely.

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If the group approaches naturally, they can get close without provoking violence (as described in Setting the Stage). Joneth has made many enemies and his only option now is to get paid and flee. Attempts to negotiate with the Foxes will likely stall unless Interaction tests are exceedingly good. Each member of the Foxes starts as Unfriendly due to their suspicion and generally defers to Joneth when it comes to making decisions. Getting him to reveal anything or negotiate is considered a Large Favor. The Foxes won’t make the first attack unless they have reason to believe the characters know their true purpose and are trying to leave. Joneth can’t chance them alerting the Strongest Arm or spooking his contact. If the characters attempt to camp alongside the Foxes, Joneth will threaten and bluster, attempting to goad the characters into a fight, but again, won’t start trouble unless he knows the Foxes have been made. Characters who try to pass themselves off as the courier face a difficult task. Fooling Joneth is considered Fabrication (see Gamemaster’s Guide, p. 145 for deceit), requiring two successes against his Social Defense. If the test fails (or only scores one success), he will ask for a passphrase. When the characters are unable to provide it (as there is no way for them to have learned it), he realizes the jig is up and have the Foxes attack. If the characters decide to approach stealthily, they have ample cover from the forest to do so and can get relatively close to the camp without notice. Joneth’s group will stay awake throughout the night. If someone attempts to sneak into the camp without a distraction they must make a Stealthy Stride test, setting the Difficulty for the Foxes to notice them. Should they be noticed, they will be attacked unless they can come up with a sufficiently compelling story. The Foxes will fight ferociously. The four have fought alongside one another long enough to work reasonably well as a team. However, the bonds that keep them together have been fraying, and their commitment to the plan—and each other— varies. Game statistics for each member of the Foxes is provided in Cast of Characters. Joneth will move to engage high risk melee combatants. He will use Taunt to keep them busy for as long as possible. While Joneth keeps melee combatants busy, Vikran will engage ranged combatants and dose them with poison. Tarshan has a similar goal, using her bow and poisoned arrows on whoever seems capable of dealing the most damage. Siluvius will look for targets of opportunity, feigning his death if he feels hemmed in and reappearing two rounds later on the other side of the battle. The poison used by Vikran and Tarshan is equivalent to keesra (Gamemaster’s Guide, p. 176). For the first strike from Vikran and the first two from Tarshan that deal damage, the target must make a Toughness (8) test to resist the poison’s effect immediately, and for the next three rounds. If the Toughness test fails, the gamemaster rolls a Step 8 test and compares it to the victim’s Toughness. For each success, the victim suffers a -2 penalty to all tests. If the total penalty equals or exceeds the victim’s Strength Step, that character is fully paralyzed and cannot move. If the characters obtained the poultices from Girisha

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and use them, they gain an immediate resistance test with a +5 bonus as well as a +5 to any other resistance tests made for the rest of the adventure. If the characters capture a surrendered member of the Foxes, they will reveal much of the information from Joneth’s journal (with the exception of his suspicions about blood elves, which he kept to himself), especially if they think it will save their lives. Securing at least one captured member will also fulfill the Lawbringers’ request. Investigating the tents after the battle will discover the damaged Astral Sextant in a strongbox. Aside from the equipment on the Foxes themselves, there is one vial of separated chillspore poison for each character. Once separated, chillspore poison is mechanically identical to keesra.

Troubleshooting

If the characters rush into battle, let them. They may miss out on some background detail, but if players aren’t as interested in social interaction, they should still get enough information from previous scenes and possibly capturing one of the Foxes. If the group is having trouble during the battle, lean on the different personalities of their opponents, and their unraveling group dynamic. Perhaps Siluvius thinks this is a good time to double-cross his increasingly unhinged employer, or one of the twins goes down and the other wants only to rescue them, ignoring the rest of the combat. As a last resort, the Foxes may decide their lives matter more than coin and abandon the sextant in hopes their foes will focus on recovering it over winning the combat.

LOOSE ENDS

After recovering the sextant, the group can return the object to Vardeghul, who can immediately tell the object has been damaged. She laments the lost opportunity such an artifact could provide, but still sees the value in researching an incomplete one. If they show Timon’s medallion to Vardeghul she will only shrug. She reiterates again that her only concern here is the artifact, and whatever political games other people are playing are best kept out of her office. She will suggest that such a bombshell might make for good leverage with Throal, Thera or the Blood Wood if it fell into their hands. Rewards Returning the Astral Sextant to Vardeghul earns each character 100 Silver and 200 Legend Points. If the characters protected Darthann from the drunken louts in A Thorny Issue they receive +1 Blood Wood Reputation. Immediately upon bringing the Gardener’s a vial of chillspore poison, each character is given 1 dose of Kelix’s Poultice, and +1 Gardener Reputation. They earn 100 Legend Points at the end of the adventure. If the characters bring Joneth in alive and hand him over to Loster’s Lawbringers they receive 100 Silver, 100 Legend Points, and +1 Lawbringers Reputation.

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As Vardeghul says, Timon’s Eye of Throal medallion is valuable to the right people. They could give the amulet to Cleotha, aiding Throal. This hides Timon’s association to the Eye, with rumors tying Timon to a Theran Cult of Dis. The characters gain +1 Throal Reputation, -1 Thera Reputation, and 75 Silver. If the characters give the medallion to Omag, it will quickly become known Timon was taking kickbacks from the Eye and that Throal was heavily involved in the theft. The group gains +1 Thera Reputation, -1 Throal Reputation, and 150 Silver. As a third option, they could hand the amulet over to Fafedriel. Should the characters take this route, no information about Timon’s allegiance is leaked to the public as the blood elf apparently makes the information disappear. This earns the characters +1 Blood Wood Reputation, and 100 Silver each. If the group managed to recover Joneth’s full notes (with three extra successes in A Momentary Lapse in Judgement) they can hand that information over to Omag, Cleotha, or Fafedriel, getting +1 Faction Reputation with the corresponding group. Finally, the characters could have each recovered the separated chillspore poison by looting the Foxes. They could keep this poison to use on a single future attack, but if any characters wish to sell their vial, the Gardeners are willing to purchase it from them for 75 Silver.

CAST OF CHARACTERS Vardeghul

T’skrang Loremaster, Proprietor of Vardeghul’s Lore Exchange Rumor has it Vardeghul was among those who helped secure Haven, but while others continued exploring—and in many cases, dying in—the ruins, she realized in Parlainth, full of unknown dangers, information could be the most valuable commodity. She is old for a t’skrang, and lacks the flamboyance of her kin, mostly keeping to herself. She’s known for her negotiating ability, but is miserly, impatient and dismissive of those who come to her without a clear idea of what they want. Her instincts and skills have helped her amass a great fortune over the years, but she shuns ostentation and appears to live a humble life. Motivation Vardeghul has no hidden motivation in this adventure. She bristles at the politicos attempting to take advantage of her so obviously. She wants the characters to succeed but expects them to do so by doing their job and not bothering her. Vardeghul has no love for any of the political factions and if asked pointedly will say only that having friends in high places is beneficial for those beginning their career, but she is beyond such a stage in her life.

Cleotha Splayfoot

Dwarf Merchant, Throalic Sympathizer Cleotha has been a fixture in Haven life for as long as many current residents can remember. Once strongly linked to the Throalic royal family, her position with the leadership of the dwarven kingdom is somewhat murky now. She still holds great

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admiration for her homeland, as any who speak with her will quickly discern. Cleotha has built a solid reputation for her caravan company, and for the various favors she has performed for citizens of Haven. Her intelligence and competence, and her kind demeanor, mask a sharp business acumen that has thwarted many attempts to oneup her.

Motivation Cleotha is aware that the former spy Timon has been in town for some time and was seen snooping around Trident Keep. She knows nobody has put together the pieces just yet, but it is only a matter of time. She is fairly certain this is a case of bad luck and a potential loss of face for Throal, though in the back of her mind she is worried the dwarf may yet have ties to the kingdom. She hopes to retrieve whatever evidence can be found and dispose of it. If she thinks there is reason to lay a false trail, she will do whatever she can to implicate Omag and his Theran business partners.

Omag Bastabus

Human Merchant, Independent Businessman Another fixture of life in Haven, Omag moved from Thera to his family’s ancestral home shortly after Haven was cleared out and was a vocal supporter of the empire until the Second Theran War. Since then, this independently wealthy human has renounced all ties to his former lieges and thrown himself fully into the task of supporting Haven. He is known for his overly florid, diplomatic language and calm demeanor in any manner of situation. Rumors abound regarding his remaining links to Theran agents, but no one has managed to prove a thing yet.

Motivation Omag has heard there are members of the Eye of Throal in town and assumes they are the perpetrators of the theft, especially with the way Cleotha has been acting all morning. He is suspicious of Fafedriel as well, but he needs evidence before he can make any official moves. He knows Thera isn’t involved and wants to make sure whoever did the deed pays for it. Surprisingly, Omag is the most innocent man in this adventure, though that innocence only extends to today. He does have business dealings throughout the Theran Empire and, while not a slaver himself, has helped them out from time to time, though he has never been foolish enough to get caught. If Omag were to obtain evidence of Timon’s association with Throal he would bring it Torgak with all deliberate speed and ensure his underlings spread the word far and fast.

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Girisha Vosior

Troll Beastmaster, Renowned Member of the Gardeners This troll was, quite literally, raised by wolves. Such a past leads one to lack many of the social graces we take for granted, but she more than makes up for it with overwhelming kindness. She is quick to accept newcomers at her table and frequently looks to aid wayward travelers near Parlainth. Though she is getting on in years, it would be foolish to consider her weak. Girisha’s loyal companion, Eyolf, is an orphaned storm wolf from her original pack that she has raised as one of her many children.

Motivation Girisha happened to be the one to answer when the Strongest Arm came knocking. She hurried to help and made sure the poisoning would not prove fatal. Having finished her work, she finds herself with little to do and is willing to aid the adventurers however she can. Knowing Vardeghul chose the group and that getting invited along on the mission could cast suspicion on the Gardeners, she will begrudgingly sit on the sidelines for this one. She will readily aid characters as needed with a Rank 4 Physician skill.

Gerard, Baresh, and Flinn

Trio of Strongest Arm Guards These non-adept members of the Strongest Arm are proud to do their Passion’s work and somewhat embarrassed at their failure to protect the artifact. They are on edge and defensive about the theft.

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Jahn

Dwarf Orphan and Unwitting Distraction A destitute dwarf child whose parents passed away before she could even remember them, she idolizes strength, and seeing the Sky Raider captain Egil Rarfu has turned the girl into something of a fan. Her dream is to meet the troll in person, and perhaps even become his apprentice—a dream, unfortunately, that others are willing to take advantage of.

Heiren

Ork Barman A grizzled ork who worked his way up in Torgak’s Gang, he was given a position managing Loak’s Legacy. He notices plenty of interesting things at his establishment, but as a veteran Havenite knows better than to gossip about what he sees. Despite his gruff demeanor, he’s got a soft streak for kids who have to grow up in such a tough town.

Darthann

Blood Elf Servant A young blood elf, Darthann knows almost nothing of the inner workings of the Blood Wood and its court. He is a lesser son of a lesser son who is just beginning to work at making a name for himself. Unbeknownst to him, Fafedriel often uses him as a distraction and walking misdirection, lulling observers into the sense the Blood Wood isn’t as threatening as they believe. The boy is well meaning, though his grasp

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on Throalic is only passable. He is happy to talk with anyone, though he has little of interest to discuss.

Drunken Louts

Loak’s Legacy’s Chief Export Whatever the time of day, there are drunk people in Loak’s Legacy. As the characters continue their investigation in the bar, one group of drunks decides to accost a blood elf. They fight battle with fists and yell shouts and curses, but if the stakes get too high they will back down quickly. Dex: 6: d10 Initiative: 6: d10 Uncon. Rating: 22 Str: 5: d8 Physical Defense: 8 Death Rating: 27 Tou: 5: d8 Mystic Defense: 7 Wound Threshold: 8 Per: 5: d8 Social Defense: 6 Knockdown: 5 Wil: 5: d8 Physical Armor: 2 Recovery Tests: 2 Cha: 4: d6 Mystic Armor: 0 Movement: 12 Skills: Melee Weapons (2) 8: 2d6, Unarmed Combat (3) 9: d8+d6 Equipment: Dagger (7: d12), Padded Cloth armor (PA 2) Notes: The louts begin the encounter drunk, giving them a -1 penalty to all tests.

Fafedriel

Blood Elf Envoy As one of the few Blood Warders to repeatedly visit Haven, Fafedriel is the unofficial face of Queen Alachia’s interests in Haven. Every time he comes to town, tensions increase, and his morbid sense of humor and unnerving laugh—which seems to come out regularly, regardless of how humorous the situation is—do not help reduce those tensions. He’s known to be haughty and insulting but has paid well for items of interest from the ruins. Many suspect his appearance in town is tied to major destabilizing events.

Motivation Fafedriel comes into Haven regularly, usually with business on behalf of his queen. It is only chance he happened to be in town when the sextant was discovered but knew it would be an artifact of great interest. Fafedriel put plans into motion and chose Joneth as a reasonable patsy for the theft. He expected a cunning ploy and walking out the front door with the object, but Joneth fooled them all by hiring a pawn of his own. Things eventually spun

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out of Fafedriel’s control. In A Thorny Issue he decides it best to distance himself from the whole affair. He has met Timon and all of the Foxes before, but never revealed to them that he was their ultimate employer.

Timon

Dwarf Thief, Former agent of the Eye of Throal A Thief of some renown, Timon abruptly left his home in Throal for Haven. The public reason was the familiar refrain of “seeking his fortune.” Privately, he had just been drummed out of the Eye of Throal. Timon still keeps his medallion as reminder of the unfair treatment he received. Flashier than many of his people, news spread of Timon’s arrival and his willingness to get his hands dirty with whatever work was offered. He was frequently contracted for more larcenous work than the ruin-delving his fellow adepts typically performed. Timon had an appreciation for finely crafted weapons, of which he is seen carrying a few at any given time.

Boselyn Oakram

Dwarf Cavalryman, Renowned Member of Loster’s Lawbringers This dwarf goes everywhere with her Huttawa, Beaker, preferring his company over that of most Namegivers. She is headstrong and quick to act in any situation. Once she has chosen a course of action, she follows it to whatever result it leads. She is unlikely to admit errors on her part and will blame others harshly for their mistakes. Something in her past fuels her dogged pursuit of a safe and lawful Haven, but those who have tried to pry the story from her have only extracted a bloody nose. She will intervene in any perceived crime and is first to answer the call to battle the fearsome entities of Parlainth. Motivation Boselyn is independently sniffing after the Astral Sextant. While following the trail she has learned of the characters’ investigations and the suspicious behavior of Joneth’s Foxes. She wants to get to the bottom of the situation herself, but circumstances being what they are, she is forced to let the group do their job. She comes in hot and the characters will have to prove to her they are the heroes they claim to be.

Joneth’s Foxes

Joneth’s Foxes formed as a group about six months ago. The four founding members were exploring Parlainth to make a fortune and get out while they still had ten fingers and ten toes. Less than two months after they formed, they succeeded. They found the Astral Sextant and without truly understanding what they had, sold it to Torgak. They were handed a large sum of money, though far less than what the artifact is truly worth. Each member of the Foxes is a capable combatant and will fight to defend themselves if the occasion calls for it. Joneth Sure-Step A fresh-faced Swordmaster from Urupa, Joneth’s charisma and luck won him a group of adepts to accompany him to Parlainth, and against all odds managed to make

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it out of their early forays into the ruins with a big find. Since selling the sextant to Torgak, Joneth and his group have partied as hard as they can, blowing through their earnings at a surprising rate. In a town as accustomed to death as Haven, however, no one can blame Joneth or his people for wanting to indulge when they still can. If Joneth falls in battle, the orks gahad will be triggered and Siluvius will try to escape.

Second Circle Human Swordmaster Dex: 7: d12 Initiative: 6: d10 Uncon. Rating: 42 Str: 6: d10 Physical Defense: 10 Death Rating: 50 Tou: 6: d10 Mystic Defense: 6 Wound Threshold: 9 Per: 5: d8 Social Defense: 9 Knockdown: 8 Wil: 5: d8 Physical Armor: 5 Recovery Tests: 3 Cha: 6: d10 Mystic Armor: 3 Karma: 10 Movement: 12 Talents: Avoid Blow (2) 9: d8+d6, Danger Sense (2) 9: d8+d6, First Impression (2) 8: 2d6, Maneuver (2) 9: d8+d6, Melee Weapons (3) 10: 2d8, Taunt (3) 9: d8+d6, Wound Balance (2) 8: 2d6 Skills: Swift Kick (1) 8: 2d6 Equipment: Broadsword (11: d10+d8), Hide Armor (PA 5, MA 1) Siluvius The veteran of Joneth’s group, Siluvius was a nobody in Throal but agreed to help Joneth and they’ve been working together since. The twins are a bit too wild for his taste, but his die has been cast. He is barely loyal to the Foxes and will be the first to flee if an opportunity presents itself. If Joneth falls, or things are going poorly for him personally, he will surrender or flee, depending on circumstances.

Second Circle Dwarf Illusionist Dex: 5: d8 Initiative: 5: d8 Uncon. Rating: 30 Str: 4: d6 Physical Defense: 7 Death Rating: 37 Tou: 5: d8 Mystic Defense: 11 Wound Threshold: 8 Per: 7: d12 Social Defense: 7 Knockdown: 4 Wil: 7: d12 Physical Armor: 4 Recovery Tests: 2 Cha: 5: d8 Mystic Armor: 3 Karma: 8 Movement: 10 Talents: Astral Sight (2) 9: d8+d6, Dead Fall (1) 8: 2d6, False Sight (2) 9: d8+d6, First Impression (2) 7: d12, Patterncraft (2) 9: d8+d6, Spellcasting (3) 10: 2d8, Thread Weaving (3) 10: 2d8, True Sight (1) Skills: Physician (3) 10: 2d8 Spells: Ephemeral Bolt (Rng 20 yds, 11: d10+d8 Mystic), True Ephemeral Bolt (Rng 20 yds, 8: 2d6 Mystic), Mind Fog (1 thread DN 6, Rng 10 yds, 10: 2d8, Dur 8 rds) Equipment: Short Sword (8: 2d6), Padded Leather Armor (PA 4)

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Tarshan and Vikran These young and brash ork twins have boldness only matched by their promise. Their pushing the envelope landed the group their big score, but that same gusto sees them burning through their vast riches. They are both too headstrong and ignorant to realize what a bad position they are in. If Joneth or either sibling is knocked unconscious or killed, their gahad is triggered, and they attack viciously, gaining +1 to attack and damage tests.

Tarshan Second Circle Ork Archer Dex: 7: d12 Initiative: 6: d10 Uncon. Rating: 38 Str: 6: d10 Physical Defense: 10 Death Rating: 46 Tou: 6: d10 Mystic Defense: 9 Wound Threshold: 9 Per: 6: d10 Social Defense: 7 Knockdown: 6 Wil: 5: d8 Physical Armor: 5 Recovery Tests: 3 Cha: 5: d8 Mystic Armor: 3 Karma: 10 Movement: 12 Talents: Avoid Blow (2) 9: d8+d6, Awareness (2) 8: 2d6, Call Missile (2) 8: 2d6, Missile Weapons (2) 9: d8+d6, Mystic Aim (2) 8: 2d6, Mystic Pursuit (1) 7: d12, True Shot (3), Wilderness Survival (2) 8: 2d6 Skills: Alchemy (2) 8: 2d6 Equipment: Longbow (10: 2d8), Hide Armor (PA 5, MA 1) Notes: Tarshan begins the battle with two arrows coated in separated chillspore poison. If the shot damages a character, the poison takes effect. Vikran Second Circle Ork Sky Raider Dex: 6: d10 Initiative: 6: d10 Uncon. Rating: 42 Str: 7: d12 Physical Defense: 10 Death Rating: 50 Tou: 6: d10 Mystic Defense: 7 Wound Threshold: 9 Per: 5: d8 Social Defense: 7 Knockdown: 7 Wil: 5: d8 Physical Armor: 4 Recovery Tests: 3 Cha: 5: d8 Mystic Armor: 2 Karma: 10 Movement: 12 Talents: Avoid Blow (2) 8: 2d6, Battle Shout (2) 7: d12, Climbing (2) 8: 2d6, Fireblood (2) 8: 2d6, Great Leap (2) 8: 2d6, Melee Weapons (3) 9: d8+d6, Taunt (3) 9: d8+d6, Unarmed Combat (1) 7: d12, Wound Balance (2) 8: 2d6 Skills: Awareness (2) 7: d12 Equipment: Troll Sword (13: d12+d10), Padded Leather Armor (PA 4) Notes: Vikran begins the battle with one does of separated chillspore poison on his sword. This affects the first character damaged by the weapon.

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Ch 03: Separation Anxiety, Chapter Summary Date: GM: Character Discipline ________________ ________________ Heroes: Notes:

I.D. Company ______________ Results:

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Astral Sextant recovered

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Poison given to Gardeners

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Joneth Recovered alive

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Read Joneth’s full notes

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Eye medallion given to Fafedriel

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Eye medallion given to Cleotha

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Eye medallion given to Omag

Career Silver Previous: _______ Gained: _______ Spent: _______ Current: _______ Legend Points Previous: _______ Gained: _______ Spent: _______ Current: _______ _______ Previous: _______ Gained: _______ Current: _______

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Player __________

Cost Improvement/Purchase __________ ___________________________________ __________ ___________________________________ __________ ___________________________________ __________ ___________________________________ __________ ___________________________________ Rewards/Other ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ Gardeners Lawbringers Throal Thera _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________

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